Screw driver



CI N. MORTS SCREW DRIVER July 4, 19 50 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22, 1945 lllll'l gyfillllll INVENTOR. 6%0/499 7/. 7/Z0/"2i5;

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SCREW DRIVER Filed Aug. 22, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V ENTOR.

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ATTD R N EYS Patented July 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCREW DRIVER Charles N. Morts, Fulton, Mo.

Application August 22, 1945, Serial No. 611,944

1 Claim. 1

The invention relates to a hand tool, and more especially to a screw driver.

The primary object of the invention. is the provision of a tool of this character, wherein the handle is swiveled to the bit shank, and can be locked thereto, so that the tool can be turned for screw driver action or the handle can be freed and such tool operated under ratchet action imparted to the bit shank, either clockwise or counter-clockwise, for the driving of a screw into the work or removing therefrom.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tool of this character, wherein it can be operated in congested places with ease and dispatch, the tool being of novel construction and unique in the assembly of its parts, these few in number, thus economical for repairs or replacements.

A furtherobject of the invention is the provision of a tool of this character, which is simple in construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which show the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is an elevation of the tool constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View through the same.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the tool in a different adjusted position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 'BB of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure '7 is a sectional view taken on the line l'--'l of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the tool constituting the present invention, comprises a straight shank It, terminating at its outermost end in a screw driver bit or tip II, of the usual construction, while the inner end portion of this shank I0 is centrally socketed within the innermost end of a handle stock I2, the socket I3 being of a reduced diameter with respect to a chamber or cell I4 provided in the outer end portion of such stock. This chamber or cell I4 opens through the outer end of the stock I2 and is closed by a plug cap I5, which is detachably fitted to the latter. The cell or chamber I4 and the socket I3 are divided by .an annular flange I6 internally of the stock I2, and this flange forms a. bearing for a swivel head I! on the inner end of the shank I ll, so that the latter is swiveled to the said handle stock, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings.

Carried at the inner end of the stock I2 is a ring like track I8, which is secured in place by the countersunkfasteners I9 to such stock, while next to this track I8 is a flat faced wrench engaging nut 24!, which encircles the said shank I0 and is made fast to the latter by a cross-pin ZI. The nut 29 is adapted to be detachably engaged by a ratchet-acting wrench, only a portion 22 being shown thereof, so that the shank can be turned when the handle stock is free thereon, and this turning can be had in opposite directions through ratchet-action of the wrench under adjustment thereof, as is common thereto.

Provided in the socket I3 and in the shank III, as well as the nut 20, at diametrically opposite points thereof are registering longitudinally disposed grooves or channels 23 having slidably fitted therein runners forming locking keys 24, which when manually shifted free of the grooves or channels 23 in the stock I2 permit the shank ID to be turned independently of such stock, and this turning operation can be had through the use of the wrench when engaging the nut 20, as before described. Now, when the keys 24 are engaged with the grooves or channels 23 in the handle stock I2, the latter is locked fixed to the shank I0, and the latter can be turned by such stock.

The keys 24 are confined within the channels or grooves 23 by a. coupling collar 25 interfitted therewith at the outer ends of the said keys.

The chamber or cell I I can be used for holding accessories, if desired.

The tool is susceptible of service as a screw driver and is operable either with or without the wrench, as should be obvious.

What is claimed is:

A screwdriver comprising a handle portion having a shank socket and an enlarged bore, a shoulder formed at the junction of said socket and said bore, a screwdriver shank revolvably mounted in said shank socket, a member of polygonal cross section rigidly secured to said. shank and slidably abutting an end of said 3 handle portion, head means on the end of said shank and rotatably mounted in the bore in said handle portion, said head means abutting said shoulder and said member abutting the end of the handle for rotatably retaining said shank on said handle portion, diametrically opposed grooves in said shank socket and extending lengthwise of the same, diametrically-opposite grooves in said shank and extendinglongitudinally thereof, said shank grooves adapted'to be rotated into register with said shank socket grooves, elongated latching bars reciprocably mounted in said shank grooves and through said member, and an actuating ring about the latching bars retaining the same in said shank grooves and adapted to shift said bars in said grooves, whereby said elongated latching bars may be shifted along said shank grooves into or out of said shank socket for engaging or disengaging,

4 respectively, the grooves thereof whereby said shank will turn with said handle portion or rotate freely relative to the same.

CHARLES N. MORTS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 266,642 Partridge Oct. 31, 1882 802,259 Billingsley Oct. 17, 1905 867,132 Heiman Sept. 24, 1907 1,000,900 Dorsey Aug. 15, 1911 1,014,417 Seelig Jan. 9, 1912 1,028,675 Chase et a1. June 4, 1912 1,723,223 Weber Aug. 6, 1929 

